School
by Vixen1
Summary: Hiiro and co. go back to school only to meet an interesting student... This was a fic I wrote and posted 8yrs ago, not realizing the whole thing didn't post. Hiiro's name got changed to Jace somehow... but I thought I should put it up anyway as closure


We All Have A Lesson To Learn

He looked into the sky and cringed. It was a beautiful day, too beautiful for him. He deserved nothing but the rain and thunder. He wanted it cold and black so that he wouldn't feel obligated to feel guilty he wasn't happy. The feeling washed over him again. What to do now? Everything was over. Everything that needed to be said had been said; everything that needed doing was done. Was he just going to waltz around the rest of his life a drifter? Probably. But what did it matter to him? All he was there for was to kill. Then he heard it: " Did you really think you were through with everything Jace? There are things even the Perfect Soldier must learn. After all, I did rob you of some things, like a decent home, a family, and feelings all for the war, but there is one thing you need that I can give you."

" What would that be Doctor J?" Jace replied in a soft-spoken tone. With Doctor J, he didn't need to be harsh, just stay quiet so he could hear the old man's chatter." a good, well-grounded education. I tell you, I found the perfect school for the Perfect Soldier." The old man smiled with a gleam in his eye. "It's called TerraLune Hall, and it's probably one of the most challenging schools open at the moment. You'll get used to it fairly easily, and no one will question your background."

" School, with other people. Mission Denied. Goodbye." School. He did not need more schooling. He could handle huge killing machines, guns, planes, infiltration missions, assassinations, being shot, and a hell of a lot more, and Doctor J wanted him to go back to school? No, he would not; he had no need for it.

" Jace, it will be good for you. Besides, you can't wander around the streets as a drifter your entire life, as you intend to. You need to interact with other people. Re-integrate yourself into society. Make yourself fit in. At your age, school will be the perfect jump starter for you. Now then my boy, mission accepted or denied?

" Mission accepted." Why he accepted, he didn't know. He wanted to be apart from other people, he didn't want to integrate with society, but it was his mission, and he never failed a mission. Besides, what else was he going to do? Maybe this new 'school' would help him find finality to the war he had begun to fight so long ago. Maybe one day, he would be completed. And just maybe, this new school would help him do that.

Chapter One: First Day Jitters

Jace woke up the next morning with his bags packed and his apartment nearly empty. The only thing left was his bed, and of course all the boxes he intended to take with him to TerraLune Hall. While he washed his face, random thoughts ran through his head ' new school, finish education, integrate. What a waste. I am a waste. I am a soldier, not a scholar. Born to kill. I am a killer, a murderer, and not some scholastic achiever. Why did I accept this mission in the first place? Oh yeah, to get Doctor J off my back.' He knew that was not the real reason, that he was searching for more than grades, but he wouldn't admit it. Not yet. Suddenly a horn honked.

" Hey Jace man! Come on! Let's check out our new school! Hurry up buddy, let's go!" Duo Maxwell? His comrade with the knee length braid? That braided idiot is going to be in the same school as me? Grand. I can almost hear it now. ' Jace, do this, do that with me Jace, Come on Jace,' twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Again came the whiny voice. " Jace! Come on! Christian, Trent, Robb and I aren't going to wait all day for you man! Bring down your moving stuff and let's hit the open road!" He looked out the window and groaned. Three of the four the old pilots were in a red convertible, top down, trunk open, with Duo standing next to it yelling up at him. He gave a slight nod and picked up the two boxes of things he was taking with him. It was going to be a long drive.

Three hours later

"Yes! We're here boys! Let's see what this school is all about!" The way too cheerful boy with the long brown braid and violet eyes cried, awakening both Robb and Trent. Christian had been driving, and though Jace did not take kindly to Duo's endless chatter, nightmares of the war plagued him, so he did not want to sleep.

"Alright, let's go check in with the main office and get our dorm assignments. Then we can check out the rest of the school." Said the ever calm blonde haired blue eyed Arabian. As Christian spoke, Robb got out and stretched.

" I hear this is a co-ed school, so we'll probably run into some idiot women while we look around. Anyone think to bring a leash for Maxwell?"

" Ouch Robb-man, that hit home! But while we're here, we might as well scope out some of the cuties. After all, we do want to have three years of enjoyable bliss here at school, and we're sure as hell not gonna get it from homework, if you catch my drift." Duo winked, and Jace inwardly groaned. Great. Now he had first row seats to watching Duo flirt with every female thing in the vicinity. He was going to be sick soon.

"Injustice! How dare you call me Robb-man you braided imbecile! Maxwell, you incompetent fool! Get back here so I can cut that lovely braid of yours off!" 'And it starts' thought Jace.

" Well, well, well, look what the cat just dragged in everyone. Five new victims Hello rookies, welcome to The Hall. It's so nice to see some fresh blood in the academy. Hope you're strong enough for us here." Jace slowly turned around, as did the other boys, and was greeted by a boy two times his height. The boy was on the larger side, but it looked like it was all muscle, not an inch of fat anywhere on him. Dark midnight eyes glowed under well- trimmed black hair. He had four or five huge guys behind him, and a trail of women behind them. Jace thought he must be a popular guy at the school. Then Christian tried to approach him.

"Hello. My name is Christian Ra…"

" No one cares what your name is kid. The only thing that matters around here is your strength. Do you honestly think you'll survive one day here?" Jace noticed Christian looked visibly hurt. "My name is Darien, and I'm the one who calls the shots around here, and I say, your dead meat boy." With that, Darien started to circle the five new guys. Even Jace tensed up as he saw that this guy meant business. Big business.

Chapter Two: Perfect Soldier Speechless

" Why does strength matter? What? I don't get it! What's going on?" Hmm, you could always count on Duo to play it stupid in a situation like this.

" I'll tell you why. Here's the deal. The stronger you are, the better you are, and the better you are, the more privileges and fun you can have here at TerraLune Hall. Now then, before you go sign in, let's find out what you're made of. Who wants to try me first? How about you blonde boy? Come on now." Christian stepped back a couple of times, but Darien's huge arm caught him and held him up so that his feet were dangling off the ground. He punched Christian hard, and then threw him into the car that he had only gotten out of ten minutes ago. Trent stepped up to defend Christian's honor, but was mutilated in the same fashion. Duo was kicked in his most precious place, and was now cowering behind the car, and Robb was leaning against the car with a bloody nose clutching his stomach and muttering injustices. Jace was the only one left standing, and though he tried, knocking the guy called Darien down was impossible. Were these boys ex-soldiers? He had never had trouble with anyone like this before. Not even one of the other pilots had ever presented a problem for him. This time, it looked liked he was going to lose. Then, a cold, quiet voice spoke up, saving his face from the impending doom he had been expecting.

" Layoff them Darien, or you'll have bigger fish to fry than these minnows." Jace noticed Darien pale slightly and slack off in his stance.

"Humph. You just wait Hime, your time is coming too."

" But not yet, so until then, you layoff the new boys. Shoo. Go on. Take yourself elsewhere."

" I'm going, but just you wait. You'll be mine yet." Darien stalked off, his fan club following him. Jace stood up and walked to the car to check on his friends. They could be annoying, but he did care about them nonetheless. They were all picking themselves up from the fight, each one groaning about the injustices of being beaten.

"Oh man, I'm gonna be so sore!" Hey! Where'd you come from?" Duo was looking over Jace's shoulder at their savior. " Hello, are you in there?"

" Yes, I heard you. I came from the school. Sorry I didn't get here sooner. Think nothing of Darien, he's an jerk, has always been an jerk, and will always be an jerk. Speaking of butts, how's yours? You were totaled pretty harsh." The figure was shrouded in darkness, but the guys could make out the figure of a short, very thin person. Jace wondered why they wouldn't come out into the light to help them.

" Mine's fine, but I don't know about the rest of the guys."

" We're all doing fine Duo, but Jace, you have a nasty cut on your arm." Christian answered Duo.

" Hnn, it's fine." Jace looked at his comrades. Each of them was straining to see the person in the shadows, but they were doing it very subtly.

" You can all stop wondering who I am, curiosity killed the cat, or have you never heard that proverb before?" Said the mystery person.

" We've heard it. So, do we get a name and a face to go with it, or are you going to leave us hanging." Jace sighed inwardly. Would Duo ever learn?

" Yes. My name is Serena. Serena Paix Hime." The figure stepped into the light and the pilots gasped. She was not what they were expecting. They were expecting to see a boy that was built muscularly with scary features, but they were knocked off their feet be the real version's appearance. It was a short, thin girl with large azure eyes and blondish silver hair swept back into a bun atop her head. She was dressed in a very short black skirt and a tiny blackish gray sweater with a collared white shirt underneath. Black combat boots adorned her feet, showing off endless legs, and heavy black eye makeup made her pale face seem even paler. A black book bag was slung over one shoulder, giving her the appearance of a school -girl gone wayward She was someone no one could ever forget, and Jace for once felt speechless in front of this girl. Who was she?

Chapter Three: Bad Impressions on the Good

" You had better get cleaned up if you are going too see the headmaster." Said the girl to the boys. Each gave her a look she knew meant they were not listening to her, but looking at her instead. " Come on now, Darien will come back soon, and you don't want to still be here, do you?" That got Jace's attention.

" Hnn." Was his reply. He didn't care how nice this girl looked. One way or another, he had to complete his mission of fitting in, and the only way to do that was make a good impression on the headmaster. He didn't want to go without cleaning up, but if he did, he would be late. Decisions, decisions.

" Excuse me, Miss Hime, but is there a restroom anywhere that we might be able to freshen up in?" Christian asked for all of them. Somewhere while Jace was arguing with himself which would be the bigger social blunder: being late, or being unclean, the other boys had regained their trains of thought.

" Yes. The closest one is to your left." She turned around to leave, and as she did, Jace's eye caught hers. "If you hurry, you won't be late." Then she gracefully walked down the cement path to the old dorm building.

" Damn! I want a piece of that! Oh yeah. She was hotter than the hell, and Lord knows I do love women that are too hot to handle." Duo began right in as soon as he thought she was out of earshot. Jace just kept staring straight ahead. Ever since his eye had caught hers, an instant understanding of each other had been communicated. He just didn't know what that understanding was yet. " Jace man! You coming? Or has a girl finally caught the eye of the Perfect Soldier?" Duo teased him as they all jogged to the public restrooms to fix up themselves. Jace gave Duo his ultimate death glare and refused to speak to him until they were in front of the headmaster's office.

" Duo, don't embarrass us with any mindless chatter. Let Christian do all the talking."

" Hey! Why would I ever… hey! You just said a full sentence. I'm so proud I was the cause! I knew this day would come one day! I think I'm going to cry!"

" Duo, shut up you braided idiot!" Cried Robb.

" Guys, we have to go in now, or we'll be late. Let's stop fighting and go in." Said the ever- calm Christian. They opened the door and entered into the room.

The first thing Jace noticed was that the room was decorated with all kinds of ancient weapons: cross bows, daggers, old rifles, swords, and others. Then he noticed the large desk in front of the window and the man in the chair that was facing out to see the courtyard. " Well then, what do we have here?"

" Sir, we are the new students, just transferring into the school today. My name is Christian Ra…"

" I did not ask for your name boy, nor do I care. There are well over seven hundred people at this school, and I do not care to know their names or anything about them. You should not care either. You are here for two reasons: to prepare you for life outside these walls, and to get an education. Friends will never help you do well in the scheme of life; either step on them, or be stepped on. If you do not agree, please leave this room now. Good. Now then, have my secretary take note of your name and address home, incase information must be given to your parents regarding school issues. She will also assign you to your dorms. Well? What are you waiting for? Move, NOW!" Jace noticed his comrades sink into the floor at the man's bellowing tone, but he stood his ground. As they filed out of the room, he heard their new headmaster talking to himself: " Stupid lazy bums. Damn rotten stinkers. The whole lot of 'em. My son's the only worth while boy here at this academy for losers." He droned out the man's mindless babble and focused on his newest task: answering the secretary's questions. Finally she finished with Trent and gave them their room assignments.

" Hey! I'm sharing a room with Christian! Hey C-man, let's throw a dorm warming party! Plenty of beer to go around!" As Duo held up the case of beer he had brought from home, Christian shook his head and slightly smiled. Oh well, Jace thought. Duo would never change.

" Robb and I are sharing the dorm next to Christian and Duo, so where does that leave you Jace?" Asked Trent. They had to know each other's locations before they could officially break apart.

" What room are you in?" Jace asked Trent.

" Number 785. Christian and Duo are in 787."

"I'm in 786, right across the hall." Outside he showed no emotion, but inside he was secretly glad they were close by. If he had to go a longer distance to see them, it would be harder to sneak around at night. Not that it would be hard in the first place. " Get your stuff, let's move in now." With that, Jace picked up his two boxes and began walking, the others following in suit.

As they climbed the stairs Duo kept complaining of his aching back, Robb the injustices of not having decent electrical works, and Christian that it was so far away they were going to be late to class. Trent and Jace were quiet and said nothing as they neared the top of the thirteenth floor, the last floor in the building. There were nine doors on each side of the hallway, and Jace realized they were in the last three dorms of the entire building. They reached their dorms and opened the door to Trent's and Robb's first. Instead of them moving in separately, they decided to all help each other move in before going to the next room and setting up their own stuff. As Jace looked around the dorms, he noted the layout, thinking that all of the rooms were them same. A kitchen with a stove, sink, counter and fridge, a sitting room with a couch, chair, and table, two bedrooms, and one bathroom to be shared. All in all, it was more than a half way decent place to live. It even came with a television, which Duo happily checked for cartoons.

As the boys moved Duo and Christian into their place, they quietly spoke of where to meet. They decided to meet in Christian and Duo's room because they had a balcony to sit on and easier to leave from if needed. After all the pilots, save Jace, were settled in, they unlocked Jace's dorm door and opened it.

" Whoa! Jace! Look at what you get to live with!" Cried Duo as quietly as possible. Jace noted that the room had already been decorated with posters of layouts of the dorm, campus, time schedules for the security guards, and other such information. He noticed that all the furniture was either black, gray, or white, with heavy gothic accents in everything. But only when he caught site of what was in the couch did he know why Duo had made such a fuss about his new home. Asleep on the black leather couch was the very same girl who had scared way their attackers that afternoon, the amazon Serena Paix Hime.

Chapter Four: Settling In and Adjusting

This cannot be happening. I cannot be in a dorm with a girl, let lone this girl. No, there is no way. Jace kept denying to himself the facts. Then he was brought out of his reverie by a near silent yawn coming from the couch. He looked over just in time to see his new roommate blinking her eyes and then turning and glaring at Duo, who had woken her up by his yelp. " And I thought I destroyed the extra key copy. Damned office. What are you all doing in here?" She asked.

Serena had been a lone roommate ever since she had first entered the school five years ago. She had always made sure that she was alone, and every year had managed to keep the same dorm by hacking into the computer systems and rigging it. She was more than a little surprised to find five boys in her dorm when she woke up from her nap, and needless to say, it did not put her in a good mood.

" Sorry, Miss. Hime, but we were just, uh, just…"

" What Christian means to say is that we are just here to help Jace move into his new dorm." Robb answered for the stuttering boy.

" Well now, isn't this a pretty little sight? The new boys have already found a master. Too bad she won't take you boys, or haven't you heard the stories of the Fallen Angel yet?" A new, familiar voice filtered in through the room. All turned to see Darien standing at the door.

" Gee, I thought this was supposed to be a rat free facility. Maybe they need to call in an exterminator more often, looks like the rats are getting too nosy for their own good. Get out Chiba, or you won't live to regret it." Serena was beyond furious. This game Darien kept playing with her had to stop, she hated being treated like an animal below his feet.

Jace sensed the tension between the two and decided that it was probably a bad moment to interrupt. Too bad that just as he was thinking that, another boy with blonde hair came down the hall and yelled Darien's name.

" Hey Dare, come on! One of the first year scrubs thinks he can sit in the library without your permission! I believe we have a lesson to teach, right?" The blonde smiled evilly.

" Yeah. Coming Andrew! So Serena, babe, what do you say to a night on the town with me tonight? Come on. It'll be just you, the food, and me. We can go dancing, and afterwards, go back to my dorm for coffee and a little more." He gave a brilliant smile that few women could resist, then tried to kiss Serena's cheek, only to be swatted away by her cool hand.

"Thanks, but you've got no chance in heaven scum bag! And let me make this very clear: If you ever so much as lay a finger on me again, or anyone of these boys, you'll have to answer to me. And, Dare, do remember what happened last time you tried to get me in bed with you. As I recall, you had a broken nose for nearly a month. Wouldn't want a repeat, now would we?" At her joke, she gave a small smirk, then a wide grin and laughed. The boys looked at Darien's red face and had trouble keeping in laughter of their own.

" Come on Andrew, let's go pound that first year." He said as he stalked around the corner and out of the room.

Jace looked at Serena as she visibly shuddered and then went to close and lock the door. He wondered why she didn't just pound Darien in now? Why wait? She certainly had good reason to at least slap him. And if she had broken his nose before, it showed she was not too weak to do so again. He looked at the rest of the boys, and then at the clock that had started chiming that it was nine o'clock. It was later than he had thought it would be, and though he was used to more strenuous activity than this, he was still dog -tired from the day's events, emotionally. He tuned back just as Serena started to speak.

" That chime means it's time for everyone to go back to their dorms. You boys can keep your lights on as late as you want, but if they catch you with the volume of a television or radio turned up too high, you'll have extra chores for a month. Go now, good night. I'll help Jace settle in." With that, she practically pushed them out of the door and slammed it back in their faces.

" Fine, I know when I'm not wanted!" Jace could hear Duo whining through the thick mahogany door.

" Do you have all your stuff here?" He heard Serena ask him.

" Yeah. All my bedding is in this box." He said as he pointed to the smaller of the two boxes he had brought. " The other stuff can wait until morning."

" Fine then. Go change and take a shower. I'll do the rest just this once. I will, and I do repeat will never ever again do what I am about to do for you."

" Huh?" Now Jace was confused.

" Just go." She pushed him and a change of clothes into the bathroom and took the other boxes to his room across the hall from hers. She made his bed, admiring his taste in his al black bedding; it was just like hers, save hers had silver crescent moons and roses as a boarder. She thought to herself: What am I doing? I'm not one of them. I'm not a slave to this boy, so why am I helping him? I'm finally losing it.

In the shower Jace could not get his mind off of Serena. She was polite, strong, and even nice, but she was cold and distant like Trent. Why? He wondered. Then thought: why do I care? She's just some girl. My mission comes first always. But isn't my mission to fit in? Doesn't fitting in include dating? Why do I care bout any of this? Hnn. Never mind. He turned the water off and got out to dry off. When he walked back into the hall, he looked at the closed door across from his own. 'she must have gone to sleep. I'm going to bed too, and I still have to make my bed. Damn.' He walked into the room and was surprised to find his bed already neatly made and his clothes put away in the drawers and closet. He noted that his other box had not been touched, just as he had requested. ' Maybe she's not going to be intolerable.' He said just before sleep came to claim him for it's own.

Chapter Five: Hell Reveals Some Secrets

It was hard to believe that when she woke up, she smelled food cooking. No one had ever cooked for her as long as she could remember. Forgetting to dress, she exited her room to find out who was whipping up the storm in the kitchen. Seated around the table in the kitchen were five boys, all of which she immediately recognized from the day before. "Hmm, I forgot that I have a roommate now. Well, I'll just have to be more alert, won't I Luna." She said to the black cat that was now perched on the counter next to the entrance to the kitchen. " So what's for breakfast then?" she said to the boys, who snapped their heads up to look in her direction at the sound of her voice.

"Damn." Was heard somewhere in the room.

" Umm, uh, umm, good, good morning Miss Hime. We're uh, just cooking stuff. That's all, just uh, wow." Christian tried to answer her, and she felt a little guilty for not taking the time to have gotten dressed. Her choice of bed -wear was probably a little too risqué. She was wearing a short, thin, silk black slip that had a low neckline and slit up to her thigh, revealing her black silk underwear when she sat or walked. Then she sighed to herself and said " I can see that you are cooking, I asked what it was."

" Eggs, bacon, toast, and OJ for breakfast coming right up!" Duo cried as Jace and Trent walked toward everyone with plates in their hands. Jace noticed Serena was up, gave her nod, and then handed her a plate.

Serena looked at the plate in disbelief. All of the food on it was recognizable and looked edible. Jace also handed one of her silver forks to her, and as she took a bite of the scrambled eggs, her eyes went wide.

Jace was suddenly nervous. He knew how to cook from his days back with Odin Lowe the Assassin, but this, he thought, would be the ultimate test. When he first had seen her this morning, he was actually worried that she might object to having the boys over for breakfast, or even over at all. Then he reconsidered, and thought that now they were sharing the dorm, and had to learn to put up with not only each other, but their friends as well. That was, if she had any friends. It didn't seem like she did. From what he had seen of the school the day before, the dress code was collared shirts and skirts for girls, and collared shirts and non-jean pants for boys. He also noticed how all the other girls had stared at him and tried to straighten their bright colored floral skirts when he walked by, trying to get his attention. Serena had done neither. She had said hello, are you ok, and goodbye without so much as a flirting note in her voice. She did not wear bright flowery clothing, but darker, more depressing tones. She was different from the others it seemed. Then, he saw her eyes bug out from his cooking and thought the world was coming to an end.

" Are you ok Miss Hime?" Christian asked her as she gulped the bite down.

" Who made this?" She asked coldly. It sent shivers up Jace's spine. "Well?" 'They all think I'm disgusted with it. I can't wait to see what happens when I say what I really think about it.'

" Umm, Jace did." Duo stated. Even he was scared now. He thought Jace was a semi decent cook for an assassin. Was she going to tell him different?

" Jace huh?" She shifted her gave over to him and saw him go from looking hurt to no expression.' Almost like he doesn't even care what I have to say about the food. Such cold eyes. Such a heartless look. This is going to be fun.' "Well, Jace, did you make this?"

"Yes, I did." Now, though he had put on his perfect soldier face, his hands were sweating like bullets. ' Get it together Yui, she's just a girl!'

" Good." Was all he heard.

"What?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. Even he was surprised by her answer. She had looked like she had swallowed a cockroach.

" I said good. Now I don't have to do all the cooking to get a decent meal around this hell -hole. You're a good cook." Serena gave him a nod as she jumped up and settled on the kitchen counter across from the table where all the boys were sitting. She leaned against the wall and savored the food in pure bliss. As she did so, she took time to really study the five boys that were sitting at her table. The stuttering and innocent blonde with blue eyes they called Christian was beginning to butter his toast. Next to him was the taller, more muscular Trent with light brown hair covering one of his green eyes. Across from Trent was the Chinese boy Robb with the black hair pulled into a tight ponytail and black hard eyes. He was nibbling ever so slightly at his bacon. The one that was the loud mouth, Duo, had a long brown braid and violet eyes that were filled with laughter as he happily chopped down his eggs. Last was her roommate. He was standing in a darker corner of the room, watching the others like she. Serena noted that his messy chocolate brown hair and prussian blue eyes gave him the look of a man without care, but with desperation. He looked hardened and cold, like he would do anything to survive, but at the same time, like he could be nice if one got to know him. Then she heard the bell ring, marking the time for everyone to wake up. If she didn't get the shower now, she wouldn't be able to dry her hair in time for class that day. Putting her dish in the sink, she said to Jace "Have your friends put their dishes in the sink when they are done. Class starts in half an hour, I would suggest being on time, the consequences are not fun. By the way, I get the shower first." With that, she calmly walked out of the room and into her own.

" Whoa! Jace! Getting burned by the Fallen Angel?" Said Duo.

" Why did you call her that Duo?" asked Trent.

" That's what that creep Darien said everyone called her last night. I think it suits her, she's definitely an angel, and I'm glad she's fallen!"

" Duo, that's the worst pick up line I've ever heard." Said Christian as they walked out of the door.

Ten minutes later

Serena stepped out of the shower refreshed and ready for another day in hell. As she wrapped her long hair in a towel, she thought of how the morning had gone. It had been so nice not to have to eat cold cereal again. To have other people to eat with, people whom actually cared what she had to say. Then she thought, hell, that'll never happen again, not after what they hear about me today in class. Well, it was nice while it lasted. Then she opened the door, quickly knocked on Jace's to tell him he could use the shower, and ran into her own room.

By the time Jace opened his door to go to the bathroom, Serena was just shutting hers. As he let the hot water run over him and drip down his back, he thought of the morning and how nice it had been. She had liked his cooking. That was a relief, but she had still seemed up tight, even too much so for Christian and Duo. He wondered why, and he also wondered why she had been given the nickname Fallen Angel. Duo was right, it did suit her, but was it meant to be a compliment as he had made it? Darien had said it with so much hatred. Well, that was that creep though. He turned off the water and ran across to his room so that he could quickly change for class. He was would be late if he didn't hurry.

Class, half and hour into Session

For al the luck, Jace got stuck with Duo in all his classes except one. He would easily tire of Duo's mindless chatter and the teacher's monotonous lecture, he knew, so he opened up his email and checked for any new letters. There was one from his old friend Karen saying hello, one from Christian thanking him for breakfast, one from Trent about that night's meeting at Duo and Christian's place, ten from Duo, and one from Doctor J. He opened Doctor J's and scanned it quickly. It just said hope you like your new school in a lot more words. Then Duo's IM popped up on his screen and he answered it.

(The following is what they wrote to each other)

" Hey man! Guess who else is on that's in this class?" Jace was in no mood for guessing games, so he simply didn't reply and let Duo answer for him. " Serena is. Her IM name is, get this: LunerHime."

" LunerHime?" He wrote back to check the spelling.

" Yeah, that's it! I just rang her, I'm gonna see if she answers. You should IM her too."

" No. I'm going to kill you. Goodbye Maxwell."

"Fine then, but don't say I didn't give you a chance to flirt with her. If your not gonna take her, I'm gonna!" When Jace read Duo's last message, he tried to shrug it off, but he felt a little tug deep down in his belly. He passed it off as some indigestion form breakfast, but knew that that wasn't really what it was.

As the bell for lunch ran, he and Duo waited by the door for Serena, thinking they would eat with her, but she passed right by them without giving them so much as a glance. They followed her, with the other three boys joining the procession soon, and found that she had lead them to a cafeteria. Then, she whipped around without warning them, and spoke harshly to them " It was nice while it lasted, now take your place boys." With that, she walked to the corner table and sat her self down.

Jace watched as she took an apple out of her book bag and started biting into it while reading a book. He saw how the other girls passed her and then turned to speak of her behind her back. He saw some boys staring at her with hearts in their eyes, and others with sickening and twisted faces. Then he noticed that Duo had pulled aside another boy and was asking about why everyone talked about the Fallen Angel. The boy looked at Jace, then Christian, Trent, Robb, and finally back to Duo who was holding on to his shirt. He gave a squeak, and then answered. " She's the one who beat Darien up."

"So? What does that mean? Come on kid, Duo's not gonna hurt you if you tell us everything." Even Robb had been curious to learn about this new school and the new girl.

" Ok, well, you know the order system here, don't you?" the boy was rewarded with blank stares, so he went on " it's based on strength. The stronger you are, and the more people you can beat up, the more slaves you get. You're either a master, those are the real strong guys who have decided that they won't fight each other for power anymore, just the newer guys, and then you got your slaves. The slaves have all been beaten by the masters and have been picked to do whatever they want, like fan them if it's hot, or massage them, or sometimes, even other, more disgusting favors. Anyway, since Darien is the strongest boy around here, he calls most of the shots. All the girls are slaves to the guys, because all of them are so weak that they could never win any fights. When the Fallen Angel showed up, she was challenged just like the rest of us were, the difference was that she won. She beat the third ranked guy, then second, then first, and finally, she beat Darien in one easy swoop. He was so embarrassed that he told her she could have any slave she wanted." He stopped there, out of breath.

" So? She doesn't have any slaves, does she? I haven't seen any around…" Duo said as he let the poor kid go.

" That's why she's called the Fallen Angel. She refused to take the slaves. You see, when she did that, even little worthless slaves like me saw that there were normal people out in the world, and that not everyone thought having slaves was a good idea. She gave us hope, so we slaves started calling her the Fallen Angel. The masters just picked it up and decided to use it against her. After everyone started calling her that, all the girls got real jealous, so now all the girls hate her for getting do much attention, half of the boys adore her, and the other half despise her for disobeying Darien. Can I go now?"

" Sure kid." Trent answered for everyone. "looks like this angel's past is loaded with secrets." He said.

" So now the question is why doesn't she want us to sit with…"

" Hey look here! We got us the new kids!" Darien's voice was heard above all the crowed. Everyone looked at the pilots, including Serena. " Well boys, it's time to decide. Fight Tom over here and win and you get a slave each. Fight Jason Rhine over here and you get two slaves each, and if you fight my right hand man Andrew over here and win, you'll get three slaves a piece. Well boys, who will it be?" He smiled an evil smile.

" Do we have to fight? I mean, Karen Peacecraft just achieved peace, and I don't think that…"

" Afraid little blonde boy?"

" No, I just don't think that…"

" Fight. All of you will fight one on one, whether you want to or not." With that, Darien signaled to his three men, and each chose one of the pilots. The one named Tom chose Robb, Jason Rhine chose Christian, and Andrew chose Duo. Trent slipped off to watch unnoticed, and Jace just stood there to watch the out comes of the fist- fights.

Darien stood next to Jace as all of his 'boys' instigated the fights with the Fighter Pilots. While all the fighting was going on, Serena just stared thoughtfully at the boys, each earning her respect as they fought fairly and after all was said and done, came out victorious over Darien's three men. As the pilots made their way back over to Jace, the mummers in the crowd began to grow around them. They made Serena shudder. She remembered this. This was how everything started for her. She really didn't want to see what happened to her happen to her new 'friends', but she didn't have that choice to make, they had just made it for themselves.

" Your boys handle themselves well, but can you? Fight me." Darien taunted Jace. " Come on coward, afraid of me? What? You can't look you enemy right in the eye, and let's face it, I'm your enemy, aren't I? You can't face me? You scared?"

" I am not scared, and I will not fight you." Jace then caught Serena's eye and was shocked when she gave him a dazzling smile. Was she happy with his answer? She wanted him to be a coward in Darien's eyes? No, that wasn't it. She didn't want them to become like her! She knew that if he fought Darien and won, he would ultimately end up like her, and she didn't want him to share the awful fate she had.

" Then I will fight you!" Darien cried and tried to slam his fist into Jace's back. Jace side- stepped him and Darien went flying forward.

" I said I will not fight you."

"Then I will have fun beating you." Darien once again tried to tackle Jace, but had little success in pulling the Perfect Soldier to the ground with him. As Jace tried to avoid Darien, he realized he was getting himself involved even more. He looked up at Serena, who saw his plight, and she nodded reluctantly. He took it to mean don't go over board, but beat the shit out of him. That was all the permission he needed, and he went into the fight full force after that. Ten minutes of struggling lead him to standing over Darien, with a hold on his shirt. He spoke " If you ever try messing with me, Christian, Robb, Duo, Trent, or even Serena again, we'll have a replay of this fight. Understand?" Darien nodded his head and wiped his bloody nose with his hand. Then he had the nerve to smirk.

"How many slaves did you want?"

"None. Keep them you bloody bastard."

"Yeah! Ex- soldiers don't need anybody to do their work for them, they learned to do it on their own, unlike you, weasel!" Duo cried, joining in the yelling fight.

" Maxwell, you braided idiot! Watch what you say you woman, or I'll katana off that braid of yours!" Robb screamed at Duo, afraid their secret would be learned.

" Sorry Robbie. Didn't mean it, I swear!" Duo cried as Robb screamed at him.

" Maxwell! Dang it! Come back here!" With that, the two ran out of the room, and Christian followed, trying to get them to stop fighting, Jace noticed Trent was already gone, and that everyone else had gone back to eating, including Darien's clique and Serena. He walked over to Serena and sat down.

" You know." She said to him.

" I guessed." He said.

" Or you just asked that poor boy tips while Duo held him up by the shirt. By the way, If Duo ever tries to put the moves on me again, I'm going to kill him. Tell him that for me, would you?" She asked him.

" Yeah, sure." They sat for a while in silence, him enjoying an apple just like hers that he had stolen from the fridge that morning. Then she spoke.

" You're still here." Serena was in disbelief that anyone could beat Darien besides her, and then just as she did, refuse ultimate power over slaves and the others in the academy. " Why? You know my past, and you also know that you just assigned yourself to the same one. Aren't you mad, or something along those lines?"

"No. You had no choice in the matter and you still held firm to your beliefs. I just followed your example. Incase you haven't noticed, my friends and I don't need slaves to get along." He was getting soft, he thought, talking to a girl, and almost throwing a fight for her. But then, he reasoned, she was worth it. He took time to savoir her appearance of the day. She was wearing a short black skirt with high slits and a red tube top underneath a black, shear collared shirt. She was conforming to the dress code, but rebelling against it at the same time.

"So?" she asked him. She noticed his eyes going up and down her. He was scanning her. For what, she didn't know. He wasn't the type that would be checking out what she was wearing, or her body, unfortunately, but she brushed that thought aside for the moment.

" Huh?" Because he had been checking her out, he had missed what she had said to him.

" I said, would you like to go out for ice cream now? My next class is Greek and Roman Mythology, and I'm half way decent in it, so I can skip."

"Sure. I have the same class." He answered. Now he was worried. Did she just ask him out on a date, or was it just veteran feeling sorry for the rookie?

Chapter Six: Ice Cream A La Jace

As he walked down the street, he desperately tried to keep up. He had thought there was a closed campus rule at The Hall, but apparently during classes, no one monitored the gates. He and Serena had slipped out easily, but now came the hard part: trying to keep up with her. He noticed that when she was intent on something, she never let go. She suddenly stopped and he slammed into her back because of the unwarned stop. " Why did we stop?" He asked her.

"Because." Serena had noticed he was having a hard time keeping up with her, and was going to slow down, when she saw one of the teachers from The Hall coming their direction. Jace hadn't been at the hall long enough to know most of the teachers, but being a student in hell for five years helped her out just a bit. She noted Jace's confused eyes but solemn face and realized the only way to tell what his emotions were was though his eyes. She pulled him into a dark alleyway and waited for the teacher to pass.

Jace didn't get it. She had stopped suddenly and pulled him into a dark alleyway. What was she doing? Then he saw her eyes following an older man who passed by them without looking at them. He asked her " Who was that?" Serena whipped around to face him and said:

" One of the school's teacher's." Then she noticed just how close she and Jace were. She could feel the heat of his warm breath on her face and his heart beat with her hand that had somehow landed on his chest when she had pulled at him to follow her. She looked into his eyes and froze.

Jace was going crazy. She was way too close for his liking. He felt her body pressed up against his and her breath on his neck. When she looked up at him, his eyes locked with hers and he nearly lost it. He roughly pushed her back from him and said " How about the ice cream?" 'That was too close. She is off limits, can't do anything with her, she's my roommate for crying out loud!'

"Yeah, how 'bout it?" She shuddered with relief. That was weird. Imagine what would have happened if he, or she, or both had bent towards each other just a couple inches more. She would have had to live with a guy she had kissed, and that would make it hard, because it would make her attraction to him known and established. She didn't want that. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him back onto the street and continued walking, this time at a slower pace.

As she pulled him back onto the street, he sighed with relief. Nothing had happened, and no one had seen them. Not to mention she was walking at a slower rate, making it easier for him to keep up with her. After a silent five more minutes, she turned into a dark store with sliding doors. "Jeff, my usual. What do you want? It's on me." She asked Jace as he had just barely stepped into the doors.

" One scoop rocky road in a cup." He answered. After all, why not take advantage of a situation at hand? And he had always had a sweet tooth for rocky road ice cream.

" Jeff, make that two of my usual." ' I can't believe he likes rocky road too. And I thought I was outdated in my sense of taste.'

" Coming right up Angel!" said a voice in the back. Jace walked in farther and saw a bar. Serena had gone up to sit and wait at the bar. Looking around, he saw four men at a back table drinking beer and laughing loudly. There were four other men, all ex-soldiers sitting at the bar, watching a football game on the television.

" I can't believe they call that a game." Serena said to Jace as she too looked at the football game. " If the war is over and peace has been achieved, why would anybody want to go around ripping each other up for fun?" The men at the bar turned and looked at her, and Jace saw haggard faces of boys who had grown up too soon.

" Well, sweet heart, how would you know what violence is? You go to that preppy private school up the road. You don't know what real pain is. You weren't in a war." One of the men sneered at her, and the rest nodded along. Jace got wary, but noticed Serena was calm as ever. She hadn't even tensed up like she did when Darien came into a room. If she had been mad then, why wasn't she mad now?" Let me give you some advice Angel, don't speak of things you don't know about." The same man started in.

" Two rockies in a cup coming right up!" Cried the man Jace identified as Jeff. " Hey, Angel, do me a favor, would you?"

" What?" Serena asked the man, who was obviously her friend.

" Tell your friend to keep his cool in my bar. No blood today, you hear?"

" He knows, don't you Jace?" She said. By now she was sure he was completely confused.

" Yeah, I know." Jace said. He didn't get it. Serena wasn't upset, and then this 'Jeff' guy asked him to keep his cool? Whatever was going on went deeper than he knew apparently. " Serena." Was all he had to say.

" Jace, this is Jeff, the owner of the Black Bruise Bar, BBB for short, and over here are Chris, Yuri, and the loud mouth is Mike, or Micha for short. Micha and Yuri are Russian 'gangsters', and they drag Chris everywhere with them. They are regulars here, just like me, and we like to disagree with each other. It makes life a hell of a lot of fun." Serena liked the men at the bar, they certainly were entertaining. She smiled one of her rare smiles at Jace to show him that they didn't mean anything, that it was all just talk.

" Angel, did you just smile at that boy? You never smile at me! I think I'm gonna have to have a talk with this here boy!" Announced Micha.

" Hell no you won't Russian. I wouldn't trust you with my cat."

" Hurt. I'm truly hurt." He said.

" No more than I usually hurt you." Then she smirked at him. " Happy now?"

" Kind of. So he must be important to bring around here. You never bring friends here."

" Yeah, well, I do now, so there." Serena nearly blushed at his comment that time. He was right. Why had she brought someone she barely knew to her favorite place?

Jace followed the conversation without intervening. He wanted to hear how it played out. He wasn't hoping to get involved, but the one named Yuri had different plans.

" So, Jace, what do you think of football? Do you think its stupid, or that it's all good fun?"

" I think that it is stupid. I think that if those men want to show strength, they should do it in their own backyards, not in front of everyone. But then, let them do what they want. I'm not one of them, so I don't care."

" But what about the pain? It's not even real pain, nothing compared to that war. Oh wait, you're just a kid. You wouldn't know about the war. Never mind."

" Actually, I fought in the war, and I'll tell you, football is nothing."

" I don't think so! I think it is!" Cried Micha, who had been listening in. " Be ignorant you little bastard!" And with that, he picked up Jace's ice cream and dumped it on his head.

" Come on Jace, let's go. These hot heads need to cool down for a while. Ciao guys."

" Bye Angel, see you tomorrow, same time, same place! And don't be late!" Cried a chorus of three men as Serena escorted Jace out of the bar.

Chapter Seven: Stars, Arguments, and Epiphanies

It had already been a whole year since Jace and the rest of the gang had joined the student body of the TerraLune Hall Academy, and it seemed like it had been forever to Serena. As she sat on the balcony looking at the stars, she remembered how she had been so cruel to the boys in their first couple of days at the school. Sure, she had helped them get Darien off their case, and taken Jace to ice cream at her favorite bar, but she had still been so cold to them. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized 'I'm still cold to them, even Jace. I wonder why? It's not that I don't trust them, I would trust them with my life. It's just that after the war of 196, I just can't seem to trust anyone. Why did everything have to happen the way it has? Why couldn't everything just go on the way it was?' The deeper into thought she went, the less aware of her surroundings she became. As a silent drop of salty water rolled down her cheek, a finger brushed it aware, startling her back into reality.

Jace had walked into his dorm room and made a quick sweep of the room with his eyes, trying to find Serena. He saw her back through the glass door of the balcony and went out to join her. When he caught the melancholy visage she was wearing, and the lonely tear trickling down her cheek, he tried not to feel anything. He tried to forget her deep blue eyes, her long blonde hair that she only wore down in front of him, the girl that had saved him from having to deal with the creeps at the school like Darien. He tried. Then he felt himself lifting a hand to wipe her tear away and knew that it was hopeless. Darn it! He had already admitted to himself he felt something for her. Though he knew it had to be the emotion called love, he wouldn't admit to that being the thing he felt. As he wiped her tear away, he heard he gas in surprise. 'She must have really been out of it to not notice I came in. If her defenses are already down, maybe she'll tell me why she is so sad.' He thought. Then he decided to ask her. " Serena? What's Wrong." He said it more like a command than a question, and he could see her chin turn up to be stubborn.

"Nothing. Why would you assume anything is wrong?" ' I'm doing it again she thought. Closing myself up. I like him. I like him a hell of a lot. So why can't I tell him? What am I so afraid of?'

" You cried. Something is wrong. Why?" This time, he knew his voice sounded more gentle and soothing. He tried to picture what Christian would say to a girl who he had just found crying. " Please, Serena, tell me what has made you so sad?" 'God, she'll think I'm a lunatic now. That sounded so… lame.' he thought.

" I'm sorry, Jace, but I just can't. Look at the stars. Aren't they beautiful?"

He turned his head to look up, and what he saw made him gasp. The sky was filled with hundreds of tiny little specks and sparkles that seemed to have just appeared out of nowhere. There were white ones, more yellow ones, red ones, and even some blue. All were so bright and constant tonight, shining like he had never seen, not even in space. He dropped his Perfect Soldier façade; something he did only for her, and replied: " You know, When I fought in space, there were times when all I saw were stars. They were all that was there in the blackness of space. But, nothing I saw could ever rival tonight."

" Why did you fight? What was the purpose of that war? It destroyed so many lives…didn't it destroy yours as well?" ' Maybe Jace will be able to understand my problems; if he went through the same thing, maybe I can finally tell someone.'

"I fought the war because" Jace started to not like the direction the conversation was taking. "As for the other questions you asked, maybe. It's not something I want to discuss. Sorry."

Now Serena was intrigued. Forgetting her own problems, she began to focus on Jace. " Why not? What happened in the war to you?" She asked in a soft voice.

Jace turned to face her and his breath was caught. She looked like an angel. A difference from her normally all black outfit, she was dressed in a dark white tube top and a short maroon skirt. She looked like a psychologist. He hated them, always poking around and asking questions when he hated answering. But, the way she asked sounded so innocent, as if she really cared what had happened. He could usually tell with all the psychologists he had visited when they cared or when they just wanted money. Karen had tried to set him up with three different doctors, but he never cooperated; never showed up on time, or at all sometimes, and never talking, just blankly staring or glaring. But, she was different. She made his heart flutter, and stomach flip. 'Get it together Yui, you can't be doing this. You need to lose this girl…fast! She is like sugar to your teeth. Good and sweet on the top… cavity causing and heartbreaking on the inside.' He couldn't tell her. " Nothing happened in the war. It was just a war. People fight, like me, then we come back and try to integrate ourselves into society by doing things like playing sports, getting jobs, or like me, going back to school. End."

He was dodging her questions 'well, two can play at this game then.' " So then, that's why you never talk to anyone, why you pass your classes without paying attention or studying, and keep guns hidden around the house?"

" I do talk to people, more than you… and as for classes, I get the notes from Christian."

" Yes. And the guns?"

" Hnn." She was too close for comfort. He could never tell her he was a Fighter Pilot. What would she do? She would hate him. If he couldn't have her because of his job, then at least he would stay friends and keep her innocent of the knowledge of what he truly was. Best defense right now: don't answer any questions.

" Well, forbid me to ask any questions of the Perfect Soldier. Just who do you think you were? A hero? Or just some nameless no account fighting because he was upholding his family's honor? Or because you were told it was the only manly thing to do? Is that it? You can keep guns, keep silent, know all there is to know in every subject, and be a great fighter, and still think it is alright for you to be a creep to everyone who comes along? Not everyone is on the bad side, you know. Not everyone was spared the ravages of the wars. You may have fought in them, but did you consider all the others that couldn't, or didn't? What about them? How do you think the war effected them? Obviously from the way I turned out, it didn't exactly have any positive effects on those kinds of people." Out of breath, Serena stopped her tirade and covered her mouth. Realizing what she had just said, she gasped in horror at herself.

Jace just sat through all her speech like a rock. He didn't move. Didn't cry or storm out. Just sat and took in every word she spoke. He knew it was all true. He had fought to be something, not just the nameless no account he had been with the assassin Odin Lowe. He knew that he had definitely not been spared the consequences of the war, but also that he had never considered the others who the war affected daily. He saw her cover her mouth, then gasp. Why? Couldn't she see that she was right? That he really was a creep and deserved all that she had accused him of?

Serena took one look at Jace and said " I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of that! Please forgive me!" He just continued to stare at her. " Please!" Still no response. " Say something! Jace! Please! Answer me damn it!" Once again she covered her mouth. He had done it. He had broken through her shield. She knew when she felt so rotten about thinking that she might have caused him pain that he had finally broken through her barrier to her. She felt nauseous.

Jace watched as she ran to the bathroom. He saw it. He had seen everything. Her eyes that had cried tears. He knew why they cried. Her shield that was up. He knew why it had been erected. Her heart that was broken. He knew how it had been broken. He got up and followed her, finding her emptying her stomach of that evening's dinner into the toilet. As she stood up, he handed her a towel to wipe her mouth with.

Serena rinsed her mouth and dried it with the towel Jace had given her. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. He hadn't spoken since her outburst, but that was expected. " I'm sorry. I just, I mean, I just…" She broke down into heaving sobs.

Jace wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. He let her cry her heart wrenching sobs into his black t-shirt and just held on. He hugged her like she would float away if he didn't. His arms raced up and down her back as he tried to comfort her, to make her feel normal again. Finally he spoke: " No. I haven't anything to forgive you for. You are right." 'It's time, she has to know.' He thought. " Serena, I am a creep. Those guns are here incase anyone ever finds me. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but I thought that it would…"

Jace was cut off by a slight whimper. He looked down to see Serena cuddled up close to his chest and looking up to meet his gaze. "What do you mean, incase someone finds you? The only person you have to worry about is Darien, and maybe his girlfriend Marie. They've both had their eye on you from the first day you got here." He saw her smile a bit. " Her long brown hair and chocolate eyes are hard to resist, and you must have noticed her new mini skirts and belly shirts… every other guy stares at her." He smirked. He had noticed her: all how she was trashy and annoying.

" No Serena, not them. If you think that Darien and his little girlfriend are evil, then I don't want to tell you who the real evil people in the world are. You see, that would take just a bit more of what I like so much about you: your innocence." He heard he breath in sharp, and his heart raced. " Just know that during the war, the other boys and I all fought, and now that the war is over, it will be easier to track someone and destroy them because their guard is down. You don't have to worry though."

" I do worry. About you, about the other guys too, but mostly you. I see that they laugh, they go out for fun. You don't."

" Neither do you."

" Well, I go to the BBB, and it's not like I have friends here. You and the others are my only friends. I know why I don't laugh. I don't know why you don't." Serena could tell she was near tears again by the way her voice kept cracking.

" If it will make you feel any better, I'll tell you why I don't laugh. When I was younger, a man raised me. He taught me that emotions are a sign of weakness and that they would be my downfall if I let them get them better of me. Does that satisfy you?"

" Do you still think emotions are not to be used?"

" I don't know. What I do know is that I like showing what emotions I am in touch with around you. Does that make sense?"

"Perfectly." With that, she reached behind his head and pulled him toward her face. She just barely pecked his mouth, then pulled away.

Jace was expecting a huge kiss on the lips. When all he got was a soft peck and then her pulling away, he decided: To hell with being perfect! He pulled her back and kissed her hard and long.

Serena was in awe of how it felt. She felt warm, safe, and protected. Not to mention on fire. Her heart speed up and her face became flushed as she and Jace both poured their soul and desire into each other. Then she pulled away quickly and when he protested, she said: " The door bell has been ringing for the last five minutes. Sorry." With that, she flipped around to answer the door.

Jace was left standing outside the bathroom door with a stunned and surprisingly serene look on his face for all that had just happened. When he heard nothing from Serena about who had been at the door, he called out to her. " Serena? Who was at the door?" With still no answer, he began walking to the door. " Serena? Who was…" He looked at the open door and the blood on the ground and nearly fainted.

Chapter Eight: Jace Feels and Serena Deals

Duo walked to his dorm room feeling good. He had just had a date, and the woman had asked him to call her again. " I love it when they love me!" He cried, whistling as he came to his door. He looked down to the end of the hall to Robb and Trent's rooms, then turned to look at Jace's room. Expecting to find the door shut, as it usually was, he turned back around and went inside his dorm. Then he walked right back out and started laughing hysterically, calling the others to come quickly.

20 Minutes Later

Jace was giving a laughing Duo his worst death glare. " Shut up Duo, it's not funny. She was hit over the head quickly and knocked out, then taken."

"Yeah, knocked out alright, just like you!" Dui doubled over, laughing twice as hard.

" Shut up Maxwell! Repeat what you just told me Yui." Said Robb. The training he had gotten in the Preventers had been so drilled into his head that even now he approached a situation with the same procedure.

" I walked out of the bathroom and called to her to see who was at the door, and when she didn't answer, I walked over to the door and saw blood on the floor. We need to analyze the site for DNA, fingerprints, hairs, scraps of evidence or anything that could be a lead. We need to lock and secure all our weapons, and encode all our computer disks of information. We also need to access the security monitors and tapes from tonight, and fast, before any evidence is erased." Jace kept his head, but for a guy that didn't talk too much too often, that was a long paragraph.

" Yes. And you need to make sure you don't keep fainting at the site of blood! Some cold blooded assassin! He can't even stomach the site of a few drops of blood!" Duo was having a field day over the fact that he had found Jace passed out in the doorway of his dorm room while coming home from his date.

" Yes Jace, I do find it quite amusing that you knocked yourself out over a few drops of blood." Even Trent was smirking.

" Hey, I'll bet not only did he know himself out, but he knocked Serena up too!" With Duo's last comment, all four of the boys cracked huge smiles, then began laughing. Jace and Serena! Together! As a couple, and even lovers? Like that would ever happen! By the time they had all stopped rolling on the floor and wiped their tears away, they found Jace gone. When they went to search his room, they found his favorite two guns were gone, along with his beloved laptop computer.

" He went without us! Dang it! That stupid idiot!"

" Jace could get himself into real trouble, we should try to find him."

" Hey, Q-man, cheer up! Guys, this is Jace we're talking about, not some helpless pansy boy who couldn't hold his own in a fight. Let's remember who saved who in the war."

" Duo's right. He'll be fine. Once he finds her and destroys the enemy, he'll return in one piece. Let him go." Said Trent.

" Alright, but I still don't like it much."

" No one asked you Robbie."

" Maxwell!!…"

Atop the Roof the Same Time

" Satellite linked… connection in five, four, three, two, one… connection complete. Now for the access to the scanning boards… access password? Hmm, not enough protocols on these damned machines, I'll have to talk to Karen about that as soon as I can, there's just not enough, and the ones here aren't strong enough if I can crack them this easily. O.K., relay input at maximum…" As Jace's brain worked out the logical facts, his heart started to work out the others, the ones his brain had tried to overlook. Serena was gone. He didn't know who, but he could take two guesses as to why. One: revenge on him. That would be OZ, the White Fang, or any other rebel group like the Barton Foundation. The other motive was obvious: the people had something personal with Serena. Both were very logical and reasonable motives, the problem would be which one fit. Poor Serena. Stuck with creeps who hurt her, or could do even worse. Those human monsters would pay for any damage they did to her while she was in their custody. He would do everything to them that they did to her, and make it hurt twice as worse. Of all times to attack, right when he had finally dropped the whole denial act and had almost admitted that he loved her! God were those people going to pay for what they'd done.

Two Hours Later Across the School in a Condemned Building

Serena sat up in a bed of satin sheets and looked around the room she was in. It was a huge old dorm room adorned with beautiful pictures and tapestries. A huge vanity table sat in one corner of the room, and a huge wooden dresser in another. There were no windows, and only one door. Then she saw two shackles of chains attached to the walls both across from the bed, and on her right. Serena closed her eyes and groaned inwardly. This was not happening. She was being taken prisoner in a room that was fit for a queen, without the shackles of course. Then the door opened, and in walked Darien Chiba's girlfriend, Marie. She stood in front of the bed and looked at Serena.

" I hate you. At first I thought Darien's obsession over you was just a phase. Now it seems to have gotten bigger. My mistake for not showing him who could beat whom up around here, but that's what I get for being lazy." She skirted the bed and dragged her fingers up to Serena's chin and forced her to look into her chocolate eyes. " I thought that mattered. I was wrong. Now I know why he did it. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you, Darien and I love each other. Now that you are at the school, he never pays attention to me any more. Darien wants you, and I want him. This way, Darien will a have a playmate at night, and I at least get to have fun with him during the day. Sucks for you that you'll be stuck in here all day while I get to have fun. Oh well, no one ever said life was always fun. Ciao baby, Darien's coming in soon, you had better be ready, he likes to move fast with girls."

Serena shuddered as the evil girl walked out of the room. She felt sorry for her, and couldn't understand why Darien wasn't attracted to her, she was drop dead gorgeous. Long silky brown hair and large chocolate colored eyes placed in a round head that matched her tall thin body perfectly, she was the most sought after girl in the school. It was her attitude that Serena didn't like, and in fact, it was her attitude that scared her the most. What did she mean, playmates? Stuck inside this room? Darien liking to move fast? What was her deal? Just then, she heard the door cracking open.

"So, I guess I've finally caught a true Fallen Angel, hmm, Angel?" Serena shuddered. He was here.

Chapter Nine: OMG, HELP!!

The screen on the computer read 'link uploaded'. Jace broke through the security access codes and into the old tapes from the security cameras. He went back about an hour, and picked the camera that he wanted. Typing into his laptop the camera number and data access codes, it revealed a newer, much more intricate weave of encrypted files. He sighed. At first he thought that it would be easy to hack into the camera room, but it was becoming more and more like a mission. The cameras had originally appeared un secured, but as he got deeper into the system, he realized only a specialist could have created such a top notch security file. It needed encryption codes, passwords, and was obviously meant for authorized personnel only ( the screen kept blinking the words ' authorized personnel only' across the top). It annoyed Jace half way to the dickens, but he managed to contain his temper with the years of practice he had spent denying his emotions while preparing for the wars. ' If what ever creep touches her before I get there… if he's using her to get to me… his life expectancy just dropped.' He kept thinking over and over in his mind. Finally, the screen blinked black, then white. The computer read across the top 'Access Granted'. Jace could have kissed the moon with joy. He accessed the video tape and began downloading. Just then, he wished he had taken Dr. J. up on his offer to upgrade his laptop; the computer download icon read he had to wait twenty minutes to finish the upload.

Serena

" Well? It's not polite to not answer."

" Why would I be polite to a pig?" Serena muttered half way under he breath, just loud enough so that Darien could hear her. She still couldn't believe Darien was capable of kidnapping her, let alone hurting her.

" Shut up, whore! Andrew, Jason, get in here!" the two guys waltzed in and stopped in front of Darien, clearly awaiting orders. " Chain her up to the wall next to the bed, and make sure the shackles fit her wrists tightly enough so that he can't slip out of them." The boys moved to face a struggling Serena. She would have been able to beat them easily normally but, she had a splitting headache from the bump on her head and felt sick to her stomach. The guys were able to chain her without too much difficulty, and then stood off to the side.

" Who do you think you are? You can't chain me up here!" She spat on his shoe.

" I think I'm allowed to do whatever I want, and that you have no power over me. Hey, Andrew, check and make sure that Marie is chained in her room. She may be so head over heels in love with me that she'll never tell, but just incase." Andrew nodded and strolled out of the room, Jason in tow. " So, now that I have you all alone, shall we continue our little discussion?"

Serena closed her eyes and turned her head to the side, away from Darien's prying eyes. She wasn't going to answer that jerk, not if she had anything to say about it.

" Come, come, pretty thing. Tell me, what are your favorite nightly activities? Do they involve a bed and a man? Because I know mine does, but that man would be a woman in my case. A woman named Serena."

She sickened. She knew what this was. He had once approached her with an offer of the same thing, but she had swiftly upturned both his offer and him onto the floor and rushed away. What was that saying Duo had used one day when Robb pegged him with a bunch of water balloons? Oh yeah, 'pay back's a bitch'. His saying certainly suited her situation. She saw him advancing on her and got ready to hurl onto his face.

" At any rate, I think we should stop talking and see a little more action here." As Darien went in for the kill, Serena held her breath. Then, as he started to kiss her shoulder, then her neck, she kneed him where it hurts the most. Down went Darien for the count, huffing and puffing 'ouch' the entire way. " Why you little…"

Jace

'Down load complete' flashed atop the computer screen and Jace sat up with alertness. He quickly typed in the date and approximate time that he wanted, and watched the security tape unfold the entire kidnapping scene. He saw Serena open the door, get knocked out by three goons, and get dragged off through the dorm one floor down and six doors over from theirs. He figured that the dorm room number was 666. He quickly scouted his memory for who resided in the dorm, and the name that came to his mind was not one he had hoped for. Darien Chiba lived in 666. Jace switched cameras to see the three guys, probably Darien's guys, carrying Serena out the balcony and putting her into a truck. Than he saw the truck turn north onto an older, less used road. That was all he needed to see before he deleted any traces that he had hacked into the system and grabbed is motorcycle key from his jacket pocket.

As Jace scaled the wall down to the parking lot, the other four guys, who were walking out of the building, saw him and yelled to him. " Jace! Hey Jace!" He heard Christian call to him. " Are you alright? Did you find her yet?"

" Yes, yes, and I have to go." He ran to his cycle and turned the key. Speeding away, he left the other four in the dust.

" Wow." Was all Duo could say.

" Yeah." Said Trent.

" He actually acknowledged us! I'm so proud!" Duo cried and the others all cuffed him on the head, while Robb simply responded for all of them.

" Shut up you braided idiot."

Jace heard his friends laughing and joking around. He almost wished he could be with them, as carefree and happy. Then he remembered Serena and with renewed vigor speed down the old country road. Two miles down the road, he came to a huge old mansion that had once been used as dorms, but was now condemned because of the fire codes and safety regulations. He saw lights on and knew that somewhere in the building, Serena was being held captive. He let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding and raced in for the kill.

Serena

Serena saw Darien stand up and knew what was coming. He raised his hand and hit her had on the side of the face. It was more of a punch than a slap it was so hard. Then he punched her in the stomach and grabbed her chin with his hand. He held it in one place and kissed her hard. Serena felt like she had been run over by a truck. Her head was swimming because of the hit and the bump that was already there, the added pain, plus the disgusting feeling of his lips against hers, made her knees give out and her drop into a state of semi consciousness. Darien's lips was cold, hard, and chapped, unlike those of Jace's, and she wondered what he was doing right now, if he was worried about her at all. She hoped so.

Jace

Jace raced up the stairs to the noise he heard. He ran down a long hallway and busted down the door. He found Marie, Darien's girlfriend, chained to a wall, yelling and screaming for help. Jace sighed. It wasn't Serena, but even still, Marie didn't deserve this kind of treatment. As he unchained her, she said to him " I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" Jace paid her little heed as he finished with the last locks. He got to the door when he heard "Wait!" He turned to face her.

" What"

" She's on the third floor, bedroom at the end of the hall. Now go get her!" He gave her a small smirk and a nod before rushing out the door, a few short steps closer to saving the one he loved.

Chapter 10: Mission, No, Rescue Complete

Darien turned around as the door opened " I told you not to bother me now! Can't you see I'm in the middle of…" A huge punch to the mouth shut him up. Jace now saw that the room was empty of anyone but himself, Darien, and Serena. He couldn't believe Darien's goons weren't near by to protect him incase… Serena? His heart raced as he saw that she was dangling from the wall next to the bed. He saw that she was now only dressed in her bra and panties, and that her clothes had bee torn to shreds by a sharp knife that now lay on the floor.

" Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh please let her be alright! Oh my…Serena? Serena, can you hear me?" Serena heard a faint voice calling her name. Unlike Darien's big booming, scary voice, this one was sweet and full of concern. Come to think of it, it sounded like Jace. But, that couldn't be. He didn't know where she was-did he? She pulled together enough strength to mumble out his name.

" Jace?" It was like music to his ears. She was alive! She was badly injured, but alive! He went to unlock her, but was pulled back down by Darien from behind. Jace reached behind him and grabbed Darien.

The two boys, who were nearly men, tumbled on the floor together. Jace would punch Darien, Darien would punch Jace. They were going full out on each other. Darien tried to bite Jace, but only succeeded in getting his shirt. Jace pulled Darien's hair, and Darien yelped in pain. Finally, Darien had to back off because he was breathing so hard he could barely see straight. ' He must be really out of shape' Jace thought to himself. Then he saw Darien lunge for the knife he had used to cut Serena's clothes off. He whipped the knife around to try to cut Jace across the belly, but was too far away to even come close. Then, he suddenly lunged forward and knocked Jace to the ground again. The knife tip was pointed directly at Jace's neck, and just as Darien forced it down, he turned as instinct kicked in. Darien pulled the knife back up from the ground and ran towards Jace. Jace just side stepped him, and Darien went flying into the wall, dropping the knife onto his stomach. Darien, more than a little out of it, picked up the knife and aimed the point towards himself and the blunt end towards Jace. He tried to lunge into Jace to stab him, but only landed on his own knife, stabbing and killing himself.

Jace stood there for a moment, just staring at what had happened, and then heard another, very faint: " Jace?" come from the directing of the wall. He ran towards Serena and picked he handcuff locks. As she dropped to the floor, he picked her up and carried her down the stairs and out to his bike.

A Day Later

"Uhnn." Serena groaned in her sleep. She opened her eyes to a dark, hazy room. She lay still, and looked around the room. It was her own bedroom! She didn't remember being here! She remembered Darien, his knife, his hits and kicks, and his threatening words on her and Jace's lives. Suddenly, she heard the knob on the door twist, and the door was opened to admit a visitor. As she sat to try to greet her guest, she heard a deep, soothing voice.

" No, stay laying down." Jace saw that she was awake and worried how much pain she felt. As if she read his mind, she said:

" I've felt better, but I can live with it."

" Do you remember what happened?"

" Some. I remember waking up in a strange bed, having a little chat with Marie, than having Darien come in and start. He beat me pretty bad, and I sort of slipped out of it for a while. Then I heard your voice and tried to wake up, but I was just so far gone that I couldn't. What happened?"

" Well, when I found the house, I found Marie chained to a wall, same as you. She told me where to find you, and I pretty much had a field day kick Darien's ass around for a while." He sighed. He had to tell her, and now. " There's more. Serena, Darien pulled a knife on me, and later, he fell onto it. He's dead, Serry."

"Darien's dead?"

" Yeah. Sorry."

" It's alright. I'm sorry to have dragged you into this petty school war in the first place. It was to dangerous, even for an ex soldier like yourself."

" Serry, I got myself involved. And as for me just being a soldier, well, Serry, I wasn't just some soldier."

" Huh? What do you mean?"

" Serry, I want to tell you, but I'm afraid of what you'll say, what you'll think of me."

" Well, I promise I won't laugh. And if you think it's so bad, why don't t your other friends think so? Just tell me He-Chan."

" He-Chan?"

" Serry?"

" I like them both."

" So do I. Now spill it."

" Serry, in the war, I was trained by a man named Dr. J. He was one of the five mad scientists of the colonies, and I was one of his students. I trained and trained to become perfect. I ultimately gained the nickname the 'Perfect Soldier' because I was able to master not only my own original Fighter, but Wing Zero and the Zero system. Serry, I'm Fighter Pilot 01, Jace Yui." All was quiet for a minute. Then Serena wrapped her arms around Jace and laughed.

" And here I was afraid you worked for Adolph Hitler or the Nazis or the Foundation!"

" You mean, you're not mad, or disgusted by who I am and what I did?

" Let me tell you something. Both my father and brother went off to fight for OZ in the war. When Hitler stepped down, my brother stayed with Duke Dermail, and my father went to the Hitler Faction. We couldn't even be in the same house without fighting. My mother caught ill, and on her death bed, she listened to my brother and father arguing about the war, again. Two weeks later, I received word that both my father and brother had be killed in action. I was alone. My aunt, my only living relative, sent me here because she said she didn't have time to be pestered with annoying brats like myself. Jace, by the time the war became Earth versus Space, I hoped that the rebels and Fighter Pilots would win so that my father and brother could both be proved wrong. You and your friends made it possible. Thank you."

" Oh Serry."

" Don't go 'Oh Serrying' me mister. I'm happy. I miss my family, but I'm happy. How can I be disgusted with the person that made my wish come true?" She gave him a huge smile and he returned one of his own, very rare smiles.

" Serry, let's get out of this school. I don't need any more education, I'm fixed because of the war. Come away with us. The boys and I have already decided to leave tomorrow. I can't risk anyone finding out about Darien. We'll go to the Sank Kingdom, I know Karen Peacecraft, and she's offered to help us find a place to stay. Please?"

" Well, wouldn't the boys mind?"

" No, they love you too. Please." This time it sounded firm, but pathetic. Serena looked into Jace's eyes, and a spell was cast.

" Of course I'll come. I love you Jace."

" I Serry." They knew they would be together forever now that nothing was there to try to rip them apart, and they sealed the deal with one last soul searing kiss that made their hearts throb and blood rush. As they pulled apart breathlessly, they stared straight into each other's eyes and broke out laughing. Boy oh boy would Duo have a coronary when he found out that the Perfect Soldier and the Fallen Angel had fallen head over heels in love with each other.

The End


End file.
